In Doha, CIA Director William Burns and the head of the Israeli secret service, the Mossad, David Barnea, met with the Prime Minister of Qatar, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdel Rahman al-Thani. Issues related to the extension of the truce between Israel and Hamas were discussed.
An informed source reported on the meeting.
The purpose of the talks was “to build on progress to (reach) an agreement to extend the humanitarian pause and initiate new discussions on the next stage of a possible agreement,” he explained.
Egyptian officials also participated in the talks, he said.
The fact that William Burns was in Doha “for meetings on the conflict between Israel and Hamas, including a discussion about hostages,” was also reported by a US administration official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The meeting came a day after Qatar announced a two-day extension of the original four-day ceasefire agreement in Gaza.
Qatar, where some of Hamas’s political leaders are based, plays a mediating role in negotiations between the warring parties.
